I want to thank Sensei George Mattson for his trust in me to carry on the IUKF as president. Along with this position comes a huge responsibility involving fairness, compassion and understanding while keeping in mind our enormous affiliations throughout the world. We must also maintain our insistence to all rules and guidelines with no …

NOTICE: Notice to Winterfest Participants Friday’s party will be at the 1884 Restaurant in Eustis. 6PM. Thanks. BTW golf begins at 11am on Thursday. The old course at Mount Dora. WinterFest – 2019 2019 Uechi-ryu WinterFest March 1st,2nd and 3rd, 2019 I am pleased to announce that the 2019 Uechi-ryu WinterFest will again be held …

Some of my students are looking in my Black Belt Test Guide by Sensei George Mattson and questioning some of the content. Our discussions were mainly on the section of “time in grade”. Seems every student and their mothers think their little ninja is an exceptional student. If not, it’s the sensei’s fault and they will …

Dear Sensei Darin Yee: I hope that you arrive home well and that everyone is well. Thank you so much for everything. All my students and I are very grateful. I can go to seminary with any teacher and I can receive advice from any teacher, but you can sleep peacefully and confidently that MY …

Simon Lailey discovered Superempi during his journey and studies in China. He introduced the kata to the rest of the world in the mid 90s during his visit to Boston and his interview with me, followed by his Summerfest seminars that year.

The interview and demonstrations were published in the new video magazine, issue # 6 in 1996 and the rest is history. Whether the kata is indeed the lost 4th form in Uechi-ryu will probably never be fully resolved, but for thousands of practitioners, the kata will continue to be practiced, studied and appreciated.

The videos were converted to digital a number of years ago and then forgotten. Bill Glasheen’s Superempi dvd was created a few years later and Bill did a great job “Uechi-sizing” some of the goju flavors from the lengthy set. During my recent housekeeping of memorabilia, the original dvd was discovered and selected to be the second offering for this series.

Besides the lengthy interview with Simon and his full speed and slow motion study of the kata, the dvd also contains an interesting commentary by me on the subject of kyu promotions. The material is presented in a two dvd package and has been upgraded with a table of contents and chapters.links. Click here to purchase.

I have been going through my DVD archives this week and discovered quite a few that you might wish to add to your collection. I will post one of these historic videos every week that I will offer for sale.

Over 100 teachers and students from around the world traveled to Okinawa for the first major, International gathering of Uechi-ryu participants to assemble on Okinawa for the purpose of training and celebrating with the senior instructors of our style. Grandmaster Kanei Uechi officiated, opened up the training session and participated in the week-long program.

As a spectacular ending to the event, the Uechi organization held their annual tournament and demonstrations as part of the historic week. There was a lot of film shot during the week and most was sent to me. The best of the films were edited into this DVD, which is now available in the Uechi-ryu store.
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Sensei Mattson. I hope this message reaches you. John Spencer said you would be able to put a link in your website directing people to our July 6-11 Koshukai at UCONN. The link can be had at http://www.UechiKarate.com

I am happy to announce the anticipated Uechi-Ryu Karate Championship Series which our students have come to enjoy will resume this year 2015. The anticipated dates are all Saturdays, April 11, June 13 and October 3. I use the word anticipated because although the venue has approved these dates, the manager still have to follow protocol and announce these date to their committee. Sensei Len Testa and I have also decided to start all 3 tournaments at 1pm. This would allow our competitors to sleep late on a week end and have lunch prior to the start of the events. I remembered many of the competitors being hungry while waiting for kumite. No one wants to see their little ninjas hungry and uncomfortable.

The venue for all 3 tournaments will be held at The Natick Senior Center. The address is 117 E. Central Street, Natick, MA 01760. We chose this venue because of its central location to many of the dojos who have supported this tournament series in the past. And a single, familiar location makes it easier for all our competitors, parents and judges. It is certainly an easier ride for our central, western and northern dojos. Tournament fees will be announced when our posters and applications are sent out. Understanding the condition of our economy, we are trying to keep all fees as low as possible. Very possibly lower then entry fees of the past.

The awards night will be held on October 17th, at the China Pearl located at 237 Quincy Avenue, Quincy, MA 02169. The award night tickets will be $30 per person. This includes the presentation of the championship trophies, kata and weapon performances from our champions and a 6 course meal. Each table will seat 10 people. All award tickets must be purchased in advance. A $20 discount will available for “dojo tables”. Instead of individuals from your dojo purchasing seats and sending in their checks to me, the dojo can send in $280 per table “which seats 10” and arrange their own seating and guarantee his/her dojo students and parents will sit together. If there are parents, students or relatives who you cannot fit in your tables ordered, they will have to pay $30 and we will assign them to other tables where we have room.

Thank you again for being so patient with us. Let’s get ready for a great year in Uechi-Ryu.

These very special pins, with a screw-back, have been out of stock for many years. I discovered the original art work for these pins during a storage unit visit and decided to have them recreated in a new 1″ diameter size and a 3/8″ screw-post. (To ensure a secure attachment.)

The practice ended shortly after it begun, for unknown reasons. IUKF renewed the process and formed a board to monitor and award the titles and gold stripes.

For the other Uechi organizations, the stripes didn’t represent anything other than the awarding of a master rank. And since the original purpose of the stripes didn’t have anything to do with rank, there was lots of confusion regarding how to divide three stripes into 5 ranks. Hence the logical conclusion was to simply sew on a stripe for every master rank.

This confusion over the purpose of the stripes was brought up at a recent IUKF board meeting and the consensus was that since the stripes has lost any relationship to the titles of Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi, IUKF should no longer associate the stripes with the titles.

I agreed with the decision of the board and beginning November 1, 2014, belt stripes will only represent the master ranking of 6th – 10th degree black belts.

The titles program will continue to exist in its present form. The board is considering issuing a special certificate and award that will replace the gold bar on belts.

Have you ever thought about taking the next step in your Uechi Ryu training and possibly opening your own Uechi Ryu school?

If you imagine having a large school or a small dojo, the IUKF can help support and guide you in your dream of being a dojo owner. The IUKF was formed in 1975 for a multitude of reasons including assisting dojos in their business needs and teachings of the art of Uechi Ryu.

Grand Master George Mattson started teaching in Boston, MA in 1958. Along with being the first Uechi Ryu teacher in the United States, he quickly grew Mattson Academy into a thriving dojo business. Today, many of his senior students run their own schools all over the world.

The IUKF can help you grow your Uechi dojo or even start a new dojo from ground zero including providing structure, experience, ranking and many other tools that will enhance your school.

The following is a list of some of the many benefits and reasons why you should consider aligning your dojo with the IUKF.

The IUKF is headed and lead by Grand Master George E Mattson, Tenth Dan.

The IUKF is a world-wide organization that consists of regional Uechi-Ryu dojos that conduct black belt grading twice a year.

IUKF Dojo Committee, a committee of dojo owners.

Grading and testing is based on International standards in the Black Belt Test Guide interpreted and clarified by the IUKF Rules Committee.

Two international training camps held every year with master ranking and testing.

Regional training.

Both internationally recognized Kyu and Dan certificates.

Uechi Ryu title certificates.

Monthly newsletters.

Online monthly trainings.

Online Teacher meetings.

For more information go to www.IUKF.net and contact Chairman of IUKF, Henry Thom,

I wish to thank all of you who attended and supported this year’s martial arts SummerFest making it one of the most successful events since it was first created in 1983. Also thanks to all of you who sent me email expressing how much you learn and enjoyed the event. Certainly one of the most memorable email was from Lisa Tanner and I hope she won’t mind the reprinting of here. Perhaps some of you who elected not to attend camp this year will change your mind after reading Lisa had to say about she felt about attending

Dearest Sensei Mattson

Lisa Tanner on right.

I want to thank you again for creating such a wonderful experience thru Summerfest. We began our journey this year with mixed emotions; excited to once again have the opportunity to learn from such great martial artists, but with heavy hearts because our own leader was not joining us. Victor sensei has guided us to become part of a bigger Uechi Ryu community outside of our home province of Nova Scotia, and we are forever grateful that he has shown us the way…this is not just figuratively speaking…last year he literally showed us the way! he got us to Plymouth without getting lost and I cannot say the same about my cars GPS!

The weekend went by far too quickly and as we drove home Sunday and Monday I had time to reflect, I seriously believe I suffer from P.A.E.D (post awesomeness enlightenment disorder) because with each small task I was doing a phrase, Idea, or lesson will come back to me: “find the void”, in every void there’s an attack waiting”, “create a void”, “effortless effort”, “affirmative action” are only just a few.

Then there is the camaraderie…what can I say, It is displayed everywhere, on the field or in the lounge and even followed us to the sandwich shop, old friendships growing stronger and new ones setting seed.

I enjoyed how the new format played out, It allowed for extra time at a particular station, to me this was very relevant as I had Harry’s attention for kata exploration 30 minutes longer! I have been working on Seiru for over a year now and just wasn’t getting inspired by its movements, Harry peeled that kata like an onion helping me to see each layer and its relevance to the whole “onion”.

My time spent with you on Sunday morning prompted me to re-examine why I feel the need to “force’ breathing or strike too quickly (light bulb moment…is very different than swiftly with purpose to which I confused speed) as a smaller framed lady martial artist, I think I had preconceived the need to prove or show my strength (light bulb moment once again…the only person needing to know my strength is me…feeling it really is better than showing it).

As you can see, Summerfest is a journey of self discovery for me and finding out my roots in this art. The only way I could calm the overwhelming excitement on the drive home (two days and nineteen hours of driving) was to sit in the back seat and write my thoughts; that when read aloud to Patty and Kristin were identified as poetry…another moment of self discovery because when they exclaimed “we didn’t know you wrote poetry!” my response was “me neither”.

I am sending them along for your enjoyment, however I made Patty and Kristen promise me not to laugh when I read them aloud from the backseat of my VW, with dirty jungleplex feet and still wearing last nights make-up (traveling is not glamorous). Sensei Mattson…I give you permission to laugh, because i believe your heart laughs withe people and not at them!

Sincerely yours in budo
Lisa Tanner

P.S living, breathing, and BEING in sanchin, that is the epitome of our being. I may have never been to Okinawa, but I’ve been to Plymouth Ma, where many great masters gather. xo

IUKF has been growing very quickly. Our new site administrator has made great progress re-designing and updating the black belt registry of rank and honors. The old registry has been one of our site’s most popular feature, accessed by thousands of people checking on their rank or others. Now that our registry is being incorporated into other style sites, it is likely that the registry will become the most recognized and accredited repository of traditional martial art rank and honors.

In the process of moving the names and ranks from the old registry to the new one, it is possible that some records might have been overlooked, so please check to make sure all of your ranks and titles are recorded. . . regardless of your style or organization. All existing records will be revised and updated and of course, all IUKF ranks are automatically listed.

Our new www.iukf.net website is almost completed. Recent board meeting changes will be incorporated into the new site and revised membership fees and dan test information will be updated at the end of June and will be in effect on July 1st.

Remember that you can join IUKF and schedule your Black Belt tests by going to www.iukf.net and clicking on one of the two arrows. Membership and dan test administrators will send you requested information and will help you with any question you might have.

Henry Thom is chairing a dojo membership committee. Henry will be very pleased to talk with any teacher or dojo owner about all the benefits in becoming an IUKF member dojo. Contact Henry by email him at: Henrythom(at)hotmail.com

Of course, all you Canadians can get in touch with IUKF-Canada by sending David Mott an e-mail at david@davidmottmusic.com .

Many thanks to the Uechi-ryu.com site administrator for all his hard work and perseverance in creating our new Rank and Honors Registry and. . . transferring the thousands of existing entries from the old Registry. . . in spite of the many technical and programming problems he faced.